Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-13

port of the committee. He said that every
printer in the employ of the paper in ques-
ton was a member of the typographical
union and received union wages, and that
the admitted reason for the institution of the
boycott was that the paper had assumed an
attitude of hostility towards the Labor in
terests in its editorial columns. This, he
said, was a matter with which the organiza-
ton had nothing to do II it thought that
it could muzzle the editorial columns of the
press of the country it had better abandon
the idea right away. The Knights of Labor
had been brought into existence to control,
not the expression OF public
opinion, but labor and wages, and it
had no more to do with whatever editorial
sentiments were found in the papers of the
land than it had with the crown Of the queen
of England If there was anything the mat
ter with the paper in question: the union of
which its employees were mmembers was per-
fectly capable of graphing with it, but for
the general assembly to justify boycott
upon paper which recognized trades or
ganization through its business office and its
scale of wages simply because it would not
sacrifice the independence Of its editorial col
umns would be to take step which could
not be viewed otherwise than with alarm. 1t
was a matter with which the order had moth
ing to do, and amounted TO a virtual declara-
ton of war upon the Typographical union.
Sew eral delegates spoke in the same strain
Delegate Quinn, OF District Assembly 40,
of New York; Secretary Lichtman, and j.
B. Mcclure lei the fight on the opposite
side. They contended that the knights had
done for the printers more than the print
ers had ever done for the knights; that, any
how, the two organizations had no ties to
bind them, and that there was nothing to
prevent the boycotting weapon being legiti-
mately used against any paper which
was VIGOROUSLY unfriendly in its columns
toward the interests of labor There was
considerable applause counter-applause and
interruption during the debate, but when
the question came to vote the report of the
committee recommending the tabling of the
resolution to abandon the boycott was adopt
ed by an overwhelming majority.
The minority is feeling very sore, and de
clares that the temper of the assembly is in
favor of war upon the independent unions so
long as one of them is left.
A good deal of other important business
was transacted at the session The assembly
sat down upon a proposition to establish a
bureau of strikes and hoycotts, although a
number of speeches wsre made in its favor
The committee on legislation recommended
the abolition of the assistance
fund" on the ground that it
tended toward encouraging strikes This
was referred to the special committee on
constitution. The assistance fund" is Gre
ated by an assessment of cents per month
from each member of the order and is ex-
pended under the direction of the general ex-
ecutive board. last year the disbursements
from this source reached nearly $3.50 900. A
large number of delegates, representing al
most every state from Maine to California,
presented charges against various firms
which in their opinion justified the institu-
ton of boycott. but every case was referred
to the general executive board.
Just as the assembly was about to adjourn
the committee on strikes and boycotts came
in with a report indorsing the action of the
general executive boarl in bringing the Chi
cago stock yards strike to full stop Tom
Barry and some of the thi"sgn delegates ill.,
timated, however, that they wanted to say
something on the question, and it WAS al
ed to go over.
1t was labor day at the exposition, and in
the afternoon and evening Mrs Barry,
MeSsrs. Powderly, Griffith and Bailey. and
other members of the assembly delivered ad
dresses